Heat Integration of a Continuous Reforming Process

Chunyan Liang, Xiao Feng*

College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Petroleum

18 Fuxue Road, Changping, Beijing 102249, China.
xfeng@cup.edu.cn

The continuous reforming process is an energy-intensive process. Therefore, it is

worthy to perform heat integration on its heat exchanger network (HEN) to reduce
energy consumption and gain economic benefit. In this paper, pinch technology is
utilized to analyze and optimize the HEN of a certain continuous reforming process.
The pinch calculation shows that the energy saving potential for the HEN is 8050 kW
which accounts for 15.5 % of the heating utility. The unreasonable heat exchanges are
identified，which are mainly the heat transfer across the pinch. The retrofit is then
undertaken on existing network by removing the unreasonable heat exchanges with
larger heat duty. Eleven new heat exchangers should be installed. Finally, the economic
analysis of the retrofit gives the payback period of the investment as 0.78 y.

1. Introduction
With the fast development of the industry, the energy consumption escalates recently. In
2009, China’s oil consumption reaches 39.3 Mt and 20.4 Mt of oil is imported, which
indicates that the situation of energy use becomes significantly severer (Xiong, 2010).
Process integration is considered to be an efficient tool to achieve energy recovery and
improve energy efficiency.
Pinch analysis is the core of process integration (Gundersen et al., 2009). Based on
thermodynamics analysis, pinch technology can locate the energy bottleneck of a
system and provide a solution for de-bottleneck. Significant energy recovery and
economic benefit can be obtained (Ahmad et al., 1990; Linnhoff, 1984; Matsuda, 2007;
Silva et al., 2010).
The continuous reforming process produces high octane gasoline components with rich
aromatic hydrocarbon. In the process, the reforming reaction is a strong endothermic
reaction. The severer the reaction is, the more heat is needed, so that the more fuel is
consumed (Zhang, 2009). Hence, the energy consumption of the continuous reforming
process has great impact on that of the whole process.
Although pinch technology has been widely applied in many petrochemical facilities,
there is no report on analyzing and optimizing the heat exchanger network (HEN) of
continuous reforming process. In this paper, pinch technology is utilized to analyze and
optimize the HEN of a certain continuous reforming process in a petrochemical
company. The unreasonable heat exchange in the current HEN is identified and the
retrofitted HEN is constructed whilst achieving the energy saving benefits.

2. Process description
The continuous reforming process is designed by UOP and yields 0.6 Mt products every
year. The process converts low-octane naphtha to high-octane gasoline with rich
aromatic components. The process is composed of four sections: the pretreatment,
reforming, catalyst regeneration and utility. The simplified process flow chart is shown
in Fig.1.

Buffer tank of the pre- Pre-hydrogenation

Naphtha fractionating column Topped oil stripping column
hydrogenation feed dechlorination reactor
Pre-hydrogenation reactor Pre-hydrogenation product Reflux tank of naphtha Reflux tank topped
separation tank separation column oil stripping column

Gas
Fuel gas desulphurization
desulphurization
Hybrid naphtha feed

To benzene To gas-liquid
LPG
extraction unit separation
tank

High-octane gasoline Pentane of products

components Reforming products
separation tank
Depentanizer C4/C5 separation column
Reflux tank of the
De-C6 column depentanizer Reforming reactor

Fig.1: Simplified process flow diagram of a continuous reforming unit.

3. Analysis for current HEN

The existing HEN is shown in Fig.2 and the value in the bracket corresponds to the heat
duty of the heat exchanger and the unit is kW. Totally, there are 22 hot streams and 21
cold streams extracted from the process. The distribution of the heaters, coolers and heat
exchangers in the existing HEN is clearly depicted in the figure.
In the existing HEN, the minimum approach temperature difference is 7.4℃.
Considering energy recovery, heat transfer area, retrofit cost of the network and
operation stability, the minimum approach temperature difference is taken as 10℃
(Yoon et al., 2007) in the following analysis.
Based on pinch calculation, the average pinch temperature is determined as 146.3℃.
The minimum heating and cooling utilities are 43508 kW and 25402 kW, respectively.
However, the current heating and cooling utilities are 52116 kW and 34010 kW,
respectively. Thus the energy saving potential of the process is obtained as 8608 kW,
accounting for 16.5 ％ of the current heating utility and 25.3 ％ of the cooling one.
According to the principles of pinch technology (no heat dissipation above the pinch, no
heat supply below the pinch, no heat transport across the pinch (Geldermann et al.,
2006), the unreasonable stream matches in the existing HEN can be identified as listed
in Table 1.
 151.3
E1(9194) E2(10386) E31(2100)
H1 320 208 110 55 E3(930) 40
E5(2190)
H2 131.3 114 55 40
E4(6640)
H3 233 E32(1220) E9(433) 120
E6(670)
H4 142.6 85
H5 65 40
E11(64) 194.3 E7(1510)
H6 484
E10(28440)
H7 484 110
H8 105 44
H9 94 E33(270) 55 40
H10 129.6 E34(930) E16(257) 55
H11 133.7 E35(850) 50
H12 47.8 E36(2000) 40
E13(1407)
H13 52.7 E12(622) 30
E15(5220)
H14 220 86
E17(640)
H15 142.5 85 40
E37(2510)
H16 82 55 E22(447) 40
E20(1250)
H17 108 55 E18(286) 40
H18 82.3 55 E39(1410) E23(374) 40
E25(381.5)
H19 261.7 E38(4280) E21(343) 68
H20 473 143
H21 538 E28(150) 71
H22 519 E29(46)
E41(4560) 481
C1 320 257 E40(502) 177 42.4
C2 177.5 E1 E2 80 40.5
C3 241.5 233.3 E4 E5
C4 E42(6170) E8(942) 102.7 40
C5 144.6 142.6 E6
C6 316 E44(10770) 105.6
C7 526 E45(6290) 391
E11
C8 526 449
E46(4850)
C9 526 467
E43(6680) E10
C10 526 443.9 93.3
C11 45.3 4
C12 171.5 E47(3990)
E13 38.1
C13 232.8 220 E15
C14 E19(2778) 120 75.5
C15 143.3 142.5 E17
C16 E24(4880) 120 85
C17 153.3 150.7 E20
C18 223.4 4
E26(132.5)
C19 169 E25 4
E27(25.4)
C20 139 54
E30(48.2)
C21 93 4

141.3

Fig.2: The current heat exchanger network.

4. HEN retrofit
4.1 Retrofit design
To retrofit an existing HEN, fewer changes with obvious heat recovery are preferred.
Therefore, the main consideration is to eliminate the unreasonable heat exchange with
larger heat duty (Li and Chang, 2010). Five heat exchangers, heat exchanger E2, E4,
E10, E15 and the air cooler E40, should be retrofitted, which is expressed as follows
and shown in Fig. 3.
Table 1: Unreasonable stream matches
Heat exchanger Unreasonable heat transport (kW)
Cooler above the pinch E28 146.23
E29 38.09
E40 502
Heat transfer across the pinch E2 3254.54
E4 1945.2
E10 419.4
E11 10.86
E15 1474.66
E25 74.68
Heater below the pinch E26 110.26
E27 25.4
E30 48.2

(1) The heat duty of E2 is reduced to 7131.5 kW which is the reasonable heat exchange
between H1 and C1. To recover the heat of H1 above the pinch, EN2 is added to
transfer heat between H1 and C17, which gives 3254.5kW of energy saving for heating
utility. In order to supply heat to C1 below the pinch, EN9 and EN10 are installed. EN9
is used to exchange heat between H11 and C1, which leads to 1354.1 kW of saving for
cooling utility. EN10 is used to exchange heat between H18 and C1 and it saves
1900.5kW of cooling utility.
(2) The heat duty of E4 is reduced to 4695 kW which is the reasonable heat exchange
between H3 and C2. To recover the heat of H3 above the pinch, EN4 is added to
exchange heat between H3 and C15, which saves 1945kW of heating utility. The higher
temperature section on H2 is kept for heating C10 and the heat duty of E5 for H2-C2
match is increased to 266.7 kW. In order to supply heat for C2 below the pinch, EN11 is
added to exchange heat between H18 and C2 which saves cooling utility 1678.3 kW.
(3) The heat duty of E10 is reduced to 28020.6 kW which is the reasonable heat
exchange between H7 and C10. To recover the heat of H7 above the pinch, the heat
duty of E10 between H7 and C10 is increased and it leads to save 419.4kW of heating
utility. In order to supply heat for C10 below the pinch, EN12 is installed to exchange
heat between H2 and C10, which saves 419.4 kW of cooling utility.
(4) The heat duty of E15 is reduced to 3745 kW which is the reasonable heat transfer
between H14 and C12. To recover the heat of H14 above the pinch, EN7 is installed to
exchange heat between H14 and C17 and it saves 1475 kW of heating utility. The heater
E24 on C17 can be removed. In order to supply heat for C12 below the pinch, EN13 is
implemented to exchange heat between H1 and C12, which leads to 1474.7 kW of
cooling utility saving.
(5) E40 is removed. To recover the heat on H22, EN8 is added to exchange heat
between H22 and C5 and it saves 502 kW of both cooling utility and heating utility.
 151.3
E1 EN2 E2 EN13 E31 E3
H1 320 208 187.3 110 71.4
E32
55
E9 40
H2 131.3 130.0 80.8 55 40
EN4 E4 EN12
H3 233 197.0 EN14 120
E6
H4 142.6 85
H5 65 40
E11
H6 484 E7
E10 194.3
H7 484 E33 110
H8 105 44
E34 E16
H9 94 55 40
E35
H10 129.6 55
EN9 E36
H11 133.7 77.0 50
E12
H12 47.8 40
E13
H13 EN7 52.7 30
E15
H14 220 181.9 86
E17 E22
H15 142.5 85 40
EN10
H16 82 61.6 55 40
E20 E39 E23
H17 108 55 E37 E18 40
H18 82.3 71.6 55 40
E25 EN11
H19 261.7 E28
E38 E21 68
H20 473 143
H21 538 71
EN8
H22 519 E29 481
C1 320 257 177 84.6 67.0 42.4
C2 177.5 E41 E1 E2 108.6 EN9 70.8 EN10 40.5
C3 241.5 E4 233.3 EN14 EN11
C4 E42 102.7 40
C5 144.6 143.7 142.6 E6
C6 316 E8 EN8 105.6
C7 526 391 E11
C8 526 E44 449
C9 526 E45 467
C10 526 E46 449.1 98.5 93.3
C11 E43 E10 45.3 EN12 4
C12 171.5 75.8 E13 38.1
C13 232.8 E15 220 EN13
C14 E47 120 75.5
C15 143.3 143.1 142.5 E17
C16 E19 EN4 120 85
C17 153.3 152.5 150.7 E20
C18 223.4 EN7 EN2 4
C19 169 E25 4
E26
C20 139 54
E27
C21 93 4
E30
141.3

Fig.3: The heat exchanger network after retrofit

4.2 Economic analysis
After the suggested retrofit, 7595.4 kW of heating utility can be conserved, which
includes 419.4 kW of fuel gas and 7176 kW of low pressure steam. The costs of fuel gas
and the steam are 3487 RMB/t and 160 RMB/t, respectively. Thus the economic benefit
for the saved heating utility is 17.16 M RMB/y. After the retrofit, 7595.7 kW of cooling
utility can be saved, which are all from the air coolers. The operation cost of the air
coolers is 0.006 RMB/ (kWh). The saved operation cost for the air cooler is 0.37 M
RMB/y. In summary, the annual economic benefit from energy saving is 17.53 M
RMB/y.
Besides, there are 11 new heat exchangers installed. The total capital cost of the heat
exchangers is 13.72 M RMB. Thus the payback period of the investment is determined
as 0.78 y.

5. Conclusion
In this paper, pinch technology is adopted to analyze the HEN of a continuous
reforming process. The energy saving potential is firstly determined and it accounts for
16.5 % of the current heating utility. Next, the unreasonable heat exchanges are
identified. The retrofit scheme is performed aiming at removing the unreasonable heat
exchanges with larger heat duty. Moreover, eleven new heat exchangers are installed to
fulfill the requirement. It saves 7595 kW of both heating and cooling utilities which
accounts 14.6 % of the current heating utility and 22.3 % of the cooling one. Based on
the economic analysis, the simple payback period of the investment is determined as
0.78 y.

Acknowledgements
Financial support provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under
Grant No. 20936004 is gratefully acknowledged.

Reference
Ahmad S., Linnhoff B. and Smith R., 1990, Cost optimum heat exchanger networks-2.
targets and design for detailed capital cost models, Computers & Chemical
Engineering, 14, 729-750.
Geldermann J., Treitz M. and Rentz O., 2006, Integrated technique assessment based on
the pinch analysis approach for the design of production networks, European Journal
of Operational Research, 171, 1020-1032.
Gundersen T., Berstad D.O. and Aspelund A., 2009, Extending pinch analysis and
process integration into pressure and fluid phase consideration, Chemical
Engineering Transactions, 18, 33-38.
Li B.H. and Chang C.T., 2010, Retrofitting heat exchanger networks based on simple
pinch analysis, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 49, 3967-3971.
Linnhoff B., 1984, Pinch technology has come of age, Chemical Engineering Progress,
80, 21-24.
Matsuda K., 2007, The development of energy sharing in industrial areas of Japan with
pinch technology, Chemical Engineering Transactions, 12, 281-284.
Silva A.P., Ravagnani M.A.S.S, Biscaia Jr. E.C. and Caballero J.A., 2010, Optimal heat
exchanger network synthesis using particle swarm optimization, Optimization and
Engineering, 11, 459-470.
Xiong Y., 2010, Outbound M&A in energy, Green China, 4, 48-49 (in Chinese).
Yoon S.G., Lee J. and Park S., 2007, Heat integration analysis for an industrial
ethylbenzene plant using pinch analysis, Applied Thermal Engineering, 27, 886-893.
Zhang F.F., 2009, Design on saving energy of large continuous catalytic reforming unit,
Petroleum Processing and Petrochemicals, 40, 53-56.